Orion concludes
season with “Wit and Passion” of Francaix and Brahms The Orion Ensemble, winner of the
prestigious Chamber Music America/ ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, welcomes
back guest violist Stephen Boe for a program of “Wit and Passion” featuring the
work of Jean Francaix and Johannes Brahms to conclude is 24th season. A
performance will take place Sun., May 21 at 7pm at First Baptist Church of
Geneva, 2300 South St. Performances will also be held May 24 at the PianoForte
Studios in downtown Chicago (joined by a quintet from the Chicago Youth Symphony
Orchestras) and May 28 at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Nichols Concert Hall
in Evanston. Single tickets are $26, $23 for seniors and $10 for students;
admission is free for children 12 and younger. For tickets or more information,
call 630-628-9591 or visit orionensemble.org.

The River Rhapsody Concert Series starts June 14 In the summer of 2017, a cultural arts concert series will emerge at the Batavia Riverwalk. Concerts will be featured during the months of June, July and August. The series will feature a variety of lively, eclectic musical acts showcasing a diverse range of tunes. Concert dates are June 14, 21 and 28, July 5, 19 and 26 and Aug. 2. The River Rhapsody Concert Series is presented by the Batavia Park District and the Batavia Rotary Club. bataviaparks.org

See Dear John, A
Tribute to John Lennon at the Arcada May 12 Young Hines has been performing
the music of John Lennon in Beatle tribute bands for just over 20 years across
the globe. For the first time, Young is now bringing audiences his own personal
take on a John Lennon solo performance. Dear John will be held at 8:30pm Fri.,
May 12 at the Club Arcada Speakeasy & Showroom. Tickets are $25 and food
and drinks will be served throughout the show. The Arcada Theatre is located at
105 E. Main St., St. Charles. 630-962-7000, arcadalive.com

St. Charles
Singers to celebrate American Music June 3–4 The St. Charles Singers,
conducted by Jeffrey Hunt, will cap off its 33rd concert season with
performances June 3–4 featuring the American music program that the
professional chamber choir will tour in England later in the month.

Concertgoers can bask in the
choir’s “American Reflections” program at 7:30pm on Sat., June 3, at Baker
Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles, and at 3pm on
Sun., June 4, at Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division St., River Forest.

Concert tickets and general
information about the St. Charles Singers are available at stcharlessingers.com
or by calling 630-513-5272. Tickets are also available at Townhouse Books, 105
N. Second Ave., St. Charles (checks or cash only at this ticket venue). Tickets
may also be purchased at the door on the day of the concert, depending on
availability. Group discounts are available.

Naper Nights Community Concerts return in June.

Naper Settlement
announces 2017 lineup for Naper Nights Naper Nights Community Concert
Series will kick off this summer with another exciting line-up covering the best
in rock and roll history. Naper Settlement invites visitors to relax under the
stars while enjoying some cold drinks, delicious food and amazing music with family
and friends. The concert series will take place from 5–10pm Friday and Saturday
nights on June 16–17, July 21–22 and Aug. 18–19 at Naper Settlement located at
523 S. Webster St. in Naperville. Tickets are available now. Admission is $15
for adults and $10 for youth ages 4–12. Admission is free for members and
children under 4. No outside food or beverages are permitted. For more
information, visit napernights.org.

Waterline
Writers hold live lit event May 21 Waterline Writers
is a monthly event for writers and those who love the written word. Each event
is a unique opportunity to hear diverse, talented writers reading original
published and not-yet-published work. If you are a writer, it’s the place to
share your very best with an enthusiastic audience in the main art gallery at
Water Street Studios, 160 S. Water St. Batavia. Waterline Writers meet on third
Sundays (September–May) at 7pm. The final show for the 2016–2017 season will be
on May 21.

Barbra &
Frank: The Concert That Never Was…Sun., June 11 at Aurora’s Paramount Theatre Two of the biggest voices in music
history never had the opportunity to perform together, live in concert. But Sun., June 11 at 3pm is your one chance to
experience what it would have been like to see Ol’ Blue Eyes and Babs share the
stage, when the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora,
presents Barbra & Frank: The Concert That Never Was...

Tickets are $35. To purchase,
visit ParamountAurora.com, call the box office at 630-896- 6666, or stop by the Paramount
Theatre box office, 10am–6pm, Monday through Saturday.

The two performers paying tribute
to these legends—Sharon Owens and Sebastian Anzaldo—sound like Frank and
Barbra, look like Frank and Barbra, and man, will they blow your mind. They’ll
cover everything from “Don’t Rain on My Parade” to “The Way You Look Tonight”
and so many more of those classic tunes in this glamorous, heart-warming and
spectacular show.

Shemekia Copeland appears at Blues on the Fox in June. Photo: Suzanne Foschino.

Major concerts are coming to Aurora’s RiverEdge Park this summer The 2017 outdoor summer concert and event lineup at downtown Aurora’s RiverEdge Park have been announced! Highlighting the lineup are the artists performing at Aurora’s 21st Annual Blues on the Fox Festival, June 16 and 17: Mavis Staples, Shemekia Copeland, Jonny Lang, Elvin Bishop, Devon Allman Band and the Guy King Band.

Other major acts performing at
downtown Aurora’s popular outdoor summer concert venue are the Grateful Dead
concert experience Dark Star Orchestra (June 24), classic rock’s Steve Miller
Band with Peter Frampton (July 20), hot artists of today like Kesha and the
Creepies (July 21) and the Led Zeppelin tribute spectacular Get the Led Out
(Aug. 25).

Online ticket sales for all shows are available at RiverEdgeAurora.com. You can also purchase tickets by calling the RiverEdge box office at 630-896-6666, or stop by in-person at RiverEdge’s satellite box office, the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, 10am–6pm, Monday–Saturday.